Townships address CLRSD costs

Talk about it

Here’s how the other townships that were once part of the Central Lakes Region Sanitary District (CLRSD) are handling the project’s debt:

Brandon Township

Adrian Ledermann, clerk for Brandon Township, explained that the township board took out a $500,000 bond from Bremer Bank and has paid the CLRSD debt.

He also explained that $100,000 of that will be coming from a special levy that will be assessed over the next five years to all residents within Brandon Township based on tax capacity.

The additional $400,000, over the next five years, would be assessed to property owners within CLRSD in Brandon Township based on tax capacity.

Carlos Township

Rebecca Anderson, clerk of Carlos Township, said the town board adopted a resolution that would be charging residents in Carlos Township who are part of CLRSD using ad valorem, which is a tax based on the value of real estate or personal property.

Carlos Township’s portion of the $3.4 million debt was $127,840, which will be paid out by the township residents in CLRSD over the next three years. Anderson said the money has already been paid out of the township’s general fund and that it will be getting the money back from residents when they pay their taxes over the next three years.

“We are assessing it to the residents in Carlos Township who are part of CLRSD,” said Anderson.

Miltona Township

Tom Blank, Miltona Township clerk, explained that Miltona Township has to pay the largest portion of the $3.4 million – nearly $1.4 million, which is roughly 41 percent.

Blank explained that the principal of the $1.4 million would be paid for by property owners in CLRSD in Miltona Township.

The interest from the bond that the township took out to pay for their portion of the CLRSD cost allocations, however, will be paid by all residents of Miltona Township, said Blank.

He added, “We tried to do it equitably, but no matter what you do, you can’t please everyone.”

The amount will be assessed over the next five years, Blank said.

Moe Township

Wayne Becker, clerk for Moe Township, referred the newspaper to the township’s attorney, Paul Reuvers.

Reuvers explained that there is one Moe Township resident who is challenging the township’s resolution, which is why legal counsel was summoned.

Moe Township’s portion of the $3.4 million CLRSD cost allocation is $658,920.

He said this amount would be spread equally to CLRSD residents in Moe Township.

“I feel the township board did a good job in light of a difficult situation,” said Reuvers. “There is only one resident who feels the formula is unfair and unreasonable.”

LaGrand Township

A message was left for the LaGrand Township clerk, who, as of Thursday morning, hadn’t returned the call to the newspaper.

However, according to a resolution provided by the concerned citizens of Leaf Valley Township, “the LaGrand Town Board supervisors have become convinced that it is more equitable to share the CLRSD cost allocation of $143,140 on an equal per parcel basis rather than based on the values of each taxable parcel through ad valorem tax, with limited exceptions as addressed [in the resolution] on an individual basis.”

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